Retail display company sharing their thoughts, advice, photos, and promotions.

Month: November 2016

With the results of this year’s Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales results, the future of brick and mortar retail stores may seem to be at its decline. Thanksgiving day and Black Friday sales reached record breaking amount of $4.45 billion sales online which is a 25% increase from 2015. Brick and mortar sales fell 5.0% from last year and the number of transactions fell 79%. Many factors play into the decrease of retail store sales. For one, the recent presidential election acted as a distraction from the hype of Black Friday, most popular retailers chose to remain closed on Thanksgiving day, and some states even experienced bad weather which caused shoppers to choose to do there shopping from home this year. In fact net sales on Black Friday decreased in total of about 10.4%.

While some factors contributing to this decrease can be unforeseen, there are some ways you can be sure your store stays relevant in times as these. There’s no denying that in this age of technology advancement, its somewhat inevitable that mobile shopping will be a consumer’s first option. You may want to try incorporating mobile technology with shopping in your store. Take Target stores for example. Target offers coupons and additional discounts through their mobile app Cartwheel. These discounts are to be applied during checkout. So while consumers are looking for deals and sales at the convenience of their thumb scroll, the end goal is to get them to buy in store. Its like two sides to the same shopping experience.

Despite the rise of e-commerce, studies show that consumers still prefer to shop in store. In fact 85% of consumers surveyed (via Time Trade) said that they prefer to touch and feel products before making a purchase decision. Being able to have face-to-face interaction with store associates and avoiding the time and costs associated with shipping, is something you can’t get with shopping online. Consumers enjoy the feeling of walking into a store during the holidays, seeing the decor, and being immersed in the aesthetics of the store layout. Incorporating festive decor, and beautifully displayed products will give these consumer the shopping experience they are looking for.

Simply put, people love to shop. In order for your store to thrive you must understand consumers wants and needs. Allow them to use mobile technology to compare prices and research products, then provide them with a satisfying shopping experience in your store. Having 41 years experience in the retail industry, Sharn Enterprises creates custom product displays that will not only meet the needs of these customers and also get your products sold.

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Thanksgiving is Thursday, November 24, 2016. Thanksgiving is celebrated among many families here in the United States and Canada. What Americans call the holiday season generally begins with Thanksgiving. In 1621, the Plymouth colonists and Wampanoag Indians shared an autumn harvest feast that is acknowledged today as one of the first Thanksgiving celebrations in the colonies. It has traditionally been a celebration of the blessings of the harvest from the previous year. A lot of the original significance has been lost and families now gather to share a bountiful meal with family and friends.

In respect for this holiday Sharn Enterprises Inc. will be closed on Thursday, November 24th. We will resume regular business hours on Monday, November 28th. We at Sharn wish you a wonderful Thanksgiving with your family and friends.

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The election of Donald Trump as our 45th President certainly raises a number of issues for retailers. One of those issues is a possible supply chain interruption. With Sharn Enterprises being a supplier to many of the nation’s top retailers, I can tell you that forecasting product demand is a problem for most retailers. Now those problems might become even more serious.

Because of Trump’s proposed trade reforms, you may conclude that your existing supplier network may be changing whether you like it or not. This is particularly true if you import your goods from countries like China or Mexico. In Lee Iacocca’s 2007 book titled “Where have all the leaders gone?” he describes in great detail the large trade imbalance between the United States and countries like China. He anticipated how this ever increasing deficit has and will continue to hurt the United States economy. We just elected a President who has campaigned on reversing these unfair trading deals. That means your forecasting strategy may need to change.

Consider some of the possibilities that are not yet settled. For example, higher taxes and fees for imports, products being stranded on a foreign dock due to the lack of trust, or even protectionism as a result of Trump’s policies.

Concerns for these higher risks should lead you to consider local sourcing options for your products and services. In other words more of a “back to America” plan for supply chain management. Using a more local approach when ordering, will guarantee you faster service, lower minimums for your orders, dependable quality, reduced transportation costs, and more friendly payment terms. Equally important, it will help create American jobs!

We here at Sharn Enterprises are proud of our 41 years of American manufacturing, quality and service.

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Dozens of stores nationwide are now vowing to keep their doors closed on Thanksgiving Day 2016. Popular stores such as Apple, Barnes & Noble, Burlington Coat Factory, and DSW, are among those that will be taking Thanksgiving Day off from shopping. This change in holiday hours are efforts to allow employees to be able to spend time with their families this holiday season. Some states such as Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Maine, have laws that require stores to close on holidays. Most stores are planning to close on Thanksgiving Day then have an early morning opening for Black Friday. Below are a list of stores that will remain closed on Thanksgiving Day 2016 via BestBlackFriday.com:

The response from employees vary with some being appreciative of the time off with family for the holiday, to others objecting not being able to get their double or triple holiday pay. This can be an adjustment for consumers who are used to hitting the stores on Thanksgiving Day. What are your thoughts on the holiday closing? Are you for or against the store closing on Thanksgiving Day 2016? Comment below.

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Veterans Day is November 11th, 2016. Veterans Day which was originally Armistice Day, is a federal holiday observed in the 11th, day of the 11th month, of every year. This day is history in 1918 an armistice between Germany and Allied Nations was signed and brought into effect ending World War I. After World War II it was declared Veterans Day. On this day we honor the men and women veterans who have served in the United States Armed Forces.

With Sharn Enterprises Inc. being a veteran owned and employed company, we take pride and celebrate the veterans of the United States every single day. We would like for everyone to join us in honoring our veterans on this federal holiday.

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After a very tense election with two of the most controversial candidates, our 45th President of the United States is Donald Trump. This election was filled with much doubt due to ongoing controversy & scandals, and even doubts from the public in the qualifications of the candidates. If any of the doubt held true, you probably would have voted for “none of theabove”. Regardless of our vote, the election is history now. It’s time to put the partisanship and gridlock behind us and begin to support our President.

Even though the election tends to highlight the divisiveness here in America, we have many common interests. We are all concerned with the economic challenges that we are facing in areas such as unemployment, inflation. We are all concerned with the criminal justice system, as well as healthcare reform, and education. Not only are we worried about our own future, but that of our children, and grandchildren’s future as well.

So, now that the election is over, the question becomes “What do we do now?” This is a moment in which we reflect on the importance of voting. Voting is your first step in taking action and getting your voice heard. Government changes occurred yesterday by many Americans going to the polls and peacefully expressing our preferences. Donald Trump won, and he is our President for the next 4 years. We have also elected a number of other Federal, State and local officials who also now represent us.

We must congratulate and support them, but most of all, continue to make your concerns known to them. Society gets the type of government they deserve. So don’t just vote and quit, rather vote and take a step further in the process by making your concerns known to those whom you have just elected.

Included in the article are two links. One is for the White House (click here), while the other is for Congress (click here). Election officials have recently been asking for your vote. Continue the process of having your voice heard and really tell them what’s on your mind.

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Election day is right around the corner. The U.S Presidential Election Day is Tuesday, November 8th, 2016. On this day every American adult in the United States has the opportunity to vote for the 45th president. Your vote is your voice as an American citizen. It’s your opportunity to be heard, to hold elected officials accountable for their decisions and to have a say in important issues that affect your community. On Election Day, every vote matters.

In order to be eligible to vote you must register. The registration process is quick and easy. Though, there are specific qualifications that are required in order to register as follows:

You must be a United States Citizen.

You must be 17 years old on or before the date of the Primary Election and turn 18 on or before the date of the General Election.

You must live in your election precinct at least 30 days prior to Election Day.

Not be convicted and in jail.

Not claim the right to vote anywhere else

Click here to check if you are already registered: https://ova.elections.il.gov/RegistrationLookup.aspx

Being an American manufacturing company, we at Sharn Enterprises can not stress enough how important it is for Americans to get out and vote in this election. We all want to be heard so that we can have a say in how we shape our community. The only way to do so is voting. Every vote matters so get out and get heard.